This fictional freeway has its background in an idea from
Steve Riner and
Matt Salek. Their idea was for an
Interstate, or at least a U.S. highway, running along IA/MN 60 and US 169 from
Sioux City to the Twin Cities Metro. The idea has some merit in that the
corridor is designated as part of the National Highway System (NHS), with the
routes along the corridor either fully 4-lane highway or proposed to be 4-lanes.
Most of this 4-lane upgrade, however, is at-grade expressway and not freeway. The whole idea formed the
basis behind Fictional I-33.